Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 31 August, 2003
“I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Fencing the Table
Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 30, I Peter 4:10 – 5:14
I. The People Who are to Be Admitted
II. The Judgment Which is Threatened
III. The Ecclesiology Which is Implied
Psalms: 141:1-4; 78:30-35; 26:4-12; 101:3-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The New Birth (1)
The Necessity of the New Birth
John 3:1-3
I. Even for Religious Officers
II. Even for the Religiously Active
III. For Seeing God’s Kingdom
Psalms: 33:1-5; 78:36-41; 36:5-10; 84:4-5, 8-12
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider:
Van Dellen & Monsma Church Order Commentary on Article 61: “… the Reformed Churches from the Reformation era on have held that attendance at the Lord’s Table is not free to all. It is not a matter which is to be left to the judgment of individuals. The office-bearers are guardians over the Lord’s Table. They must only admit those whom they believe to be worthy. Erastus and the Remonstrants—those defending the tenets of Arminianism—held that attendance or non-attendance at the Lord’s Table should be left to the individual conscience.”
Zacharias Ursinus: “To profane the covenant of God, is to commend and recognise those as the confederates, or friends of God, who are his enemies, and to represent God as such an one, as is in league with hypocrites and wicked men” (Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, p. 430).
John Calvin: God’s kingdom begins and has its origin when regeneration takes place.”
Announcements:
Standard Bearer and Beacon Lights subscriptions need to be renewed. Forms are available on the table today. Please complete these and return them to Sean with your payment.
The August Covenant Reformed News is available today. Take one for yourself and some to pass on to others.
5-a-side football is planned for Friday, 29 August, at Antrim Forum, 8-9 PM.
The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day, 7 September, (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846AM/MW) is “Holy Scripture #5 – It’s Infallibility” (John 10:35).
Catechism & Midweek Bible Study start next week.
Offerings: 27 July—£765.10, 3 August—£408.55, 10 August—£566.77, 17 August—£393, 24 August—£532.05. Donation: £25 (CR News).
PRC News: Byron Center’s new trio is Rev. G. Eriks (Loveland, CO), Rev. D. Kleyn (Edgerton, MN), and Rev. J. Slopsema (First, GR). Rev. Gritters will be installed into the position of Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology this Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 PM at Hudsonville PRC. This year the Seminary Convocation Exercise will be combined with Rev. Gritters’ Installation. Classis West meets this week Wednesday at the PRC in South Holland, IL. The PRC seminary began their new year this past week. Remember the professors and students in your prayers, and keep praying that the Lord will call more men into the ministry of His Word.
A letter from John Calvin on the elders’ supervision of the Lord’s table:
“Dearest brothers, since this letter largely relates to individual churches in your midst, we have decided that the most convenient thing to do is to give you our letter to share. We are doing this not so much to avoid labor as to avoid expending so many words uselessly in individual letters, and especially to convince you that we are not saying one thing in one letter and something else in another. We want our consensus to be made known to all equally.
We hear that certain people are displeased when they are questioned about their faith in order that, if they are found to be poorly instructed in the faith, they may be denied admittance to the Lord’s Supper until they have made better progress. To those who are displeased by this strictness of yours, we say that they should not indulge their wickedness or seek indulgence in a matter that concerns their destruction. The apostle’s opinion ought to be well known among Christians, that anyone who eats the Lord’s bread unworthily is considered sacrilegious [1 Cor. 11:27]. For a person to use the bread worthily requires that he should examine himself; the apostle teaches quite clearly that those who are incapable of examining themselves should not approach that table.
Anyone, therefore, who approaches the Lord’s Supper heedlessly, without being instructed beforehand in the faith, arouses God’s anger. Those who are forbidden to approach it for this reason have nothing to complain of, since their salvation is being protected. If everyone were wise, everyone could be his own judge; but because many pay too little attention to themselves, it is expedient that the church have a definite procedure so that it never fails to prevent the sacraments from being profaned.
For everyone to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper, without distinction or selection, is a sign of contempt that the Lord cannot endure. The Lord himself distributed the supper to his disciples only. Therefore anyone not instructed in the doctrine of the gospel ought not to approach what the Lord has instituted. No one should be distressed when his Christianity is examined even down to the finest point when he is to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper. It should be established as part of the total state and system of discipline that ought to flourish in the church that those who are judged unworthy should not be admitted.
We know this seems novel to those who do not maintain a distinction between the yoke of our Lord Jesus Christ and the tyranny of the papacy, but it is your responsibility to search out the Lord’s will and submit yourselves to it, rather than to relax the reins on your desires. Even the example of infidels may inspire us with shame. Granted that they did not show that reverence in their superstitions which we ought to show in the sacraments; they nevertheless acknowledged that those judged to be defiled by some crime should be kept away from their superstitious rites.
When the Lord’s Supper is forbidden to someone, he should not think that he is excluded for all time, or that he has been thrown into a desperate situation. The purpose is for him to humble himself, and for others to learn through him. All this is set forth in the Word of God, and we ask of you through the Lord that you not be ashamed to subject yourselves in a matter that you know to be good and holy.”
(Calvin’s Ecclesiastical Advice, pp. 154-155)
